Knitting machine



Feb. 16, 1954 A BELFORD 2,669,104

KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 19, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

INVENTOR. ALEXANDER BELFORD ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 16, 1954 A. BELFORD KNITTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1951 3 w w I INVENTOR. ALEXANDER BELFORD Feb. 16, 1954 A. BELFORD KNITTING MACHINE '3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 19, 1951 INVENTOR. ALEXANDER BELFORD ATTORNE S.

Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNITTING MACHINE Alexander Belford, Laconia', N. H., assi'gnor to Scott & Williams, Incorporated, Laconia, N. H-., a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 19, 1951, Serial No. 232,315

13 Claims. (01. 66-135) This invention relates to knitting machines and has particular reference tothe mechanism involved in the formation of wrap patterns.

Satisfactory wrapping requires good plating of stitches by the wrap yarns. It is known that proper plating may be best secured by maintaini-ng proper control of the incorporated wrap yarn during the formation of stitches by means of a wrap horn about which the yarn used in wrapping extends from a previous stitch in Whichit was incorporated to the needle or needles which arebeing moved to draw stitches. For this purpose, such a horn in a circular knitting machine extends through anare inside the needle circle terminating generally at a point in the vicinity of the bottom of the stitch camwhich draws the needles downwardlyfor the formation o'istitches; Desirabl'y, such a wrap horn tapers to substantia'l-ly a point- Whichdesirably is located very close to the finished fabric level The form and arrangement of the wrap horn just" mentioned are satisfactory when: there is no interference by it' with other elements of the" knitting mechanism. In the case of machines which through the provision of dial needles operating with cylinder needles provide integral rib tops for stockings, the dial needles are cated inside the needlecircle and are arranged to=project across the needle circle during operati'on. Under these" conditions, it. will be evident that it is impossible to provide a wraphorn: themostdesirable position of close approach: tothe fabric without interference with the dial needle operation. Furthermore, mere movement by raising'or lowering of the horn will not suffi'c'e' inasmuch as the hornprojects through a considerable circumferential arc and past thelocations of abutments for the wrap yarns which serve to effecta sweep of the" wrap yarns for the purpose of wrapping selected needles:

one object. of the: present: invention is: the: prolvision of a movable wrap h01=l1lWhi0h5, WheIl-t1T&i dial needles are active and; at. other desirable. times, such" as during heel and: toe formation, may" be: raised sufficiently to avoid" interference with these operations; while. at. the same time provision is made-for locating the-free end of the wraplhorni closely adjacent to: the fabric level for the satisfactory formation of properly: plated Wrap stitches. In accordance with the inventicn theiwra'pr hornaispivoted Thesaxis-ifor this pivoting: is at such. a. location that: a real axis: cannot be provided. by a shaft; or the: equivalent; Accordingly; a mounting: for the wrap horn: is provided which: affords a virtual-1 axis: for: its plyoting: movements. This axis: is such: that: the:-

2 trailing end of the wrap horn maybe moved sub stantially vertically from a position closely adjacent to the fabric to a, sufiicientl-y raised position. to clear dial needles which are outwardly projected. At the same time, the axis is so located that in the vicinity of thewrap yarn abutments those slight motions which do occur, occur in such fashion as to avoid engagement of the wraphorn with: the: abutments thus avoiding any necessity for providing movable abutments. It is a further object of the present inventionto provide for fine adjustment of the wrap horn in a circumferential direction to bring its most important trailing end in precisely proper relationship to the stitch cam for the cylinder needles to insure proper plating.

These and other objects of the invention particularly relating to details of construction and operation will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1' is a fragmentary axial section showing'inparticular the'meeting regions of the cylin der and dial of an automatic rib topmachine and the mounting arrangement for a wrap horn arranged in' accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section showing the mounting arrangement for the wrap horn; and

Figure 3 is a developed view looking outwardly showing the mounting of the wrap horn with reference toother elements of the machine including certain of the cams which cooperate'in the formation of wrapped stitches.

The needle cylinder of a rotary cylinder circular'knitting machine is shown at 2 which carries in axially extending slots needles 4. The machine particularly illustrated may be of the type shown in greater: detail in the. patent to Grothey- 2,411,422, dated November 19, 1946. As shown; in this patent, there are located under the needles 4 jacks: which are adapted to be acted upon by suitable camsfor the selection of needles upwardly for wrapping; Cooperating with thecylinder needles are the usual sinkers 6 over the ledges of whichstitches are drawn. The usual: latch ring shown at it? carries the latch guard indicated at 8 located immediately outside the needle circle...

A= dial M which is mounted in conventional Grothey patent, wrap fingers 22 are suitably mounted for rotation generally with the needle cylinder but for additional shogging movements with respect thereto, these wrap fingers 22 being provided with butts 2&3 arranged to be acted upon by cams (not shown) to secure selective activation of these fingers.

The parts so far described are conventional and are illustrated more fully in said Grothey patent to which reference may be made for details.

Mounted on the latch ring I is a bracket 23 carrying a pair of bolts and 32 which project through respective slots 34 and 36 in a carrier member 31 which is normally held in upper position with respect to the bracket 28 by a spring 38 reacting between a pin 48 carried by the carrier and a pin 42 carried by the bracket. The carrier 31 has a slot 44 in its upper end within which there engages the pin 46 carried by a member which is pivoted on a push rod 48, being restrained from lengthwise movement with respect to the push rod by a collar 41. A bracket 5!] guides the push rod for vertical movement. This push rod is adapted to be acted upon by cams on the main cam drum of the machine and is the push rod which controls the active or inactive positions of the cams acting on the butts 2B of the wrap fingers 22. This push rod is illustrated more fully in said Grothey patent. When the rod 48 is in its lowermost position, the wrap finger actuating cams are inactive and, under such conditions, the support 37 is moved downwardly against the tension of spring 33 serving, as will appear hereafter, to raise to inactive position the wrap horn. On the other hand, when the rod 48 is in upper position, the support 31 is also raised rendering the wrap horn active, the position of the wrap horn corresponding to active position of the cams which act on the wrap yarn fingers.

The support 3? has a portion 52 with downwardly extending flanges engaging an arcuate track 54 which is provided on the shank 55 of the wrap horn. At the ends of this track there are upstanding lugs 58 and 60 through which are threaded respectively the screws 62 and 64 which may be brought to bear on the ends of the member 52. The member is provided with a slot 66 through which passes a clamping screw 68 which is threaded into the shank 5B of the wrap horn.

As will be evident from the several figures, the shank 56 has an inwardly and downwardly directed extension Hi from which there extends the arcuate wrap horn i2 terminating in a tapered portion leading to the pointed end 74.

The shape of this wrap horn will be evident from consideration of the development shown in Figure 3 At 16 and 18 there are shown the wrap yarn abutments of the type illustrated more particularly in said Grothey patent. These abutments extend over the needle circle and, as will be evident, are directly above the wrap horn. It is necessary that the tilting of the wrap horn should not cause it to engage these abutments. The most important portion of the wrap horn from the standpoint of securing clean-cut wrapping of the stitches is the end M. The mounting arrangement which has been described involving the sliding of the slots 34 and 36 over the bolts 3!! and 32 provides tilting about an axis which is approximately in the position illustrated at D in Figure 1. This axis is close from the standpoint of axial projection to the wrap yarn abutments l6 and 18 and, as a result, the tilting of the wrap horn does needle elements.

not result in its being substantially lifted in the vicinity of the abutments. Rather, it has only a relatively slight movement primarily in a horizontal direction. Accordingly, there is no interference with these abutments.

Furthermore, as will become evident from Figure 3, the major portion of the wrap horn past the vicinity of these abutments may be at a substantial height above the sinker ledges which define the vertical position of the formed fabric. Accordingly, there is a clear space, as will appear in Figure 1, for the projection of the dial needle elements. Adjacent to the point end M, however, the wrap horn has a quite substantial vertical movement when it is rocked and the end 14 will move to a position such as indicated at 14' above the level of the dial needles to provide a sufficient clearance for the projection of the dial needle elements when these are operating.

It is not necessary in the present instances to describe in detail the camming of the selecting jacks and needles, but to make clear the relative positions of the parts, there are indicated in Figure 3 various cams. Cams and 82 act upon the jacks while cams 84, 86, 88 and 98 are the cams which control the butts of needles 4 for upward and then downward movements for wrapping at the two wrap points. Cam 92 is the stitch cam which has a lower point 94 substantially directly above which there is located the pointed end 14 of the wrap horn. The paths indicated at A, A and A" and at B, B and B" are, respectively, the paths followed by the hooks of selected needles and the ends of their open latches. At C there is indicated the level of the sinker ledges which is approximately the level of the fabric as the fabric leaves the needles. It will be observed that the end 14 of the wrap horn when it is in active position is substantially at this level. The result is effective control of the wrap yarns during stitch formation to secure good plating. The main yarn or yarns are fed to the needles at approximately the position indicated at E.

As the result of the foregoing it will be noted that the wrap yarns are held under control by the wrap horn until the stitches which are to be plated are completely drawn while, nevertheless, during rib knitting the wrap horn may be moved to an inactive position clearing throughout its length a space for the projection of the dial As indicated above, it is also desirable that the wrap horn should be raised during heel and toe knitting and this may be accomplished through the control of the push rod 48. The pin 46 by reason of its pivotal movement on the push rod 48 may be moved outwardly to an inactive position when it is necessary to raise the latch ring in conventional fashion.

The adjustment of the wrap horn circumferentially is of importance to secure best wrap plating conditions and this adjustment may be made for the knitting of yarns of various weights. The adjustment is simply effected by feeding the clamping screw 68 and adjusting the wrap horn circumferentially by means of the screws 62 and 64 whereupon the wrap horn may be locked in finally adjusted position by the tightening of screw 68.

What is claimed is:

1. A knitting machine comprising a rotary cylinder, a rotary dial, needles carried by said cylinder and said dial for the formation of a rib fabric, a latch ring, a wrap yarn carrier for the presentation of a wrap yarn to cylinder needles, a wrap horn extending in an are adjacent to the cylinder needles, and means mounting said horn for tilting movements of a portion thereof relatively to the latch ring in a generally axial direction.

2., A knitting machine comprising a rotary cylinder, a rotary dial, needles carried by said cylinder and said dial for the formation of rib fabric, a latch ring, a stitch cam for moving cylinder needles for the drawing of stitches, a wrap yarn carrier for the presentation of a Wrap yarn to cylinder needles, a wrap horn extending in an are adjacent to the cylinder needles and having its trailing end terminating substantially at the circumferential position of the lower end of said stitch cam, and means mounting said horn for tilting movements of a portion thereof relatively to the latch ring in a generally axial direction.

3. A knitting machine comprising a rotary cyiinder, a rotary dial, needles carried by said cylinder and said dial for the formation of rib fabric, a wrap yarn carrier for the presentation of a wrap yarn to cylinder needles, an abutment for engaging and retarding the wrap yarn relatively to the needles, a wrap horn extending in an are adjacent to the cylinder needles, and means mounting said horn for movements of a portion thereof in a generally axial direction without substantial axial movement of the wrap horn in the vicinity of said abutment.

a. A knitting machine comprising a rotary cylinder, a rotary dial, needles carried by said cylinder and said dial for the formation of rib fabric, a stitch cam for moving cylinder needles for the drawing of stitches, a Wrap yarn carrier for the presentation of a wrap yarn to cylinder needles, an abutment for engaging and retarding the wrap yarn relatively to the needles, a wrap horn extending in an arc adjacent to the cylinder needles and having its trailing end terminating substantially at the circumferential position of the lower end of said stitch cam, and means mounting said horn for movements of a portion thereof in a generally axial direction without substantial axial movement of the wrap horn in the vicinity of said abutment.

5. A knitting machine comprising a rotary cylinder, a rotary dial, needles carried by said cylinder and said dial for the formation of rib fabric, a wrap yarn carrier for the presentation of a wrap yarn to cylinder needles, a wrap horn extending in an are adjacent to the cylinder needles, and means mounting said horn for tilting movements of a portion thereof in a generally axial direction, said mounting means comprising a pair of pin and slot connections between said wrap horn and a fixed portion of the machine. I

6. A knitting machine comprising a rotary cylinder, a rotary dial, needles carried by said cylinder and said dial for the formation of rib fal ric, a stitch cam for moving cylinder needles for the drawing of stitches, a wrap yarn carrier for the presentation of a wrap yarn to cylinder needles, a wrap horn extending in an arc adjacent to the cylinder needles and having its trailing end terminating substantially at the circumferential position of the lower end of said stitch cam, and means mounting said horn for tilting movements of a portion thereof in a generally axial direction, said mounting means comprising a pair of pin and slot connections between said wrap horn and a fixed portion of the machine.

'I. A knitting machine comprising a rotary cylinder, a rotary dial, needles carried by said cylinder and said dial for the formation of rib fabric,

a wrap yarn carrier for the presentation of a wrap yarn to cylinder needles, an abutment for engaging and retarding the wrapyarn relatively to the needles, .a wrap horn extending in an are adjacent. to the cylinder needles, and means mounting said horn for movements of a portion thereof in a generally axial direction without substantial axial movement of the wrap horn in the vicinity of said abutment, said. mounting means comprising a pair of pin and slot connections between said wraphorn and a fixed portion of the machine.

8. A knitting machine comprising a rotary cylinder, a rotary dial, needles carried bysaid cylinder and said dial for the formation of rib fabric, a stitch cam formovine; cylinder needles for the drawing of stitches, a wrap yarn carrier for the presentation of a wrap yarn to cylinder needles, an abutment for engaging and retarding the Wrap yarn relatively to the needles, a Wrap horn extending in an are adjacent to the cylinder needles and having its trailing end terminating substantially at the circumferential position of the lower end of said stitch cam, and means mounting said horn for movements of a portion thereof in a generally axial direction without substantial axial movement of the wrap horn in the vicinity of said abutment, said mounting means comprising a pair of pin and slot connections between said wrap horn and a fixed portion of the machine.

9. A knitting machine comprising a rotary cylinder, a rotary dial, needles carried by said cylinder and said dial for the formation of rib fabric, a wrap yarn carrier for the presentation of a wrap yarn to cylinder needles, a wrap horn extending in an are adjacent to the cylinder needles, and means mounting said horn for movements of the trailing end thereof in a generally axial direction between an active position below and an inactive position above the said dial needles.

10. A knitting machine comprising a rotary cylinder, a rotary dial, needles carried by said cylinder and said dial for the formation of a rib fabric, a latch ring, a wrap yarn carrier for the presentation of a wrap yarn to cylinder needles, a wrap horn extending in an arc adjacent to the cylinder needles, and means mounting said horn for circumferential adjustment about the axis of the cylinder and for tilting movements of a portion thereof relatively to the latch ring in a generally axial direction.

11. A knitting machine comprising a rotary cylinder, a rotary dial, needles carried by said cylinder and said dial for the formation of rib fabric, a wrap yarn carrier for the presentation of a wrap yarn to cylinder needles, an abutment for engaging and retarding the wrap yarn relatively to the needles, a wrap horn extending in an are adjacent to the cylinder needles, and means mounting said horn for circumferential adjustment about the axis of the cylinder and for movements of a portion thereof in a generally axial direction without substantial axial movement of the wrap horn in the vicinity of said abutment.

12. A knitting machine comprising a rotary cylinder, a rotary dial, needles carried by said cylinder and said dial for the formation of rib fabric, a wrap yarn carrier for the presentation of a wrap yarn to cylinder needles, a wrap horn extending in an are adjacent to the cylinder needles, and means mounting said horn for circumferential adjustment about the axis of the cylinder and for movements of the trailing end thereof in a generally axial direction between an active position below and an inactive position above the said dial needles.

13. A knitting machine comprising a rotary cylinder, a rotary dial, needles carried by said 7 cylinder and said dial for the formation of rib fabric. a stitch cam for moving cylinder needles for the drawing of stitches, a wrap yarn carrier for the presentation of a wrap yarn to cylinder needles, a wrap horn extending in an arc adjacent to the cylinder needles and having its trailing end terminating substantially at the circumferential position of the lower end of said stitch cam, and means mounting said born for movements of the trailing end thereof in a generally axial direction between an active position below and an inactive position above the said dial needles.

ALEXANDER BELFORD.

References Cited in the file of this :patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Taggart Dec. 31, 1935 Grothey Sept. 1, 1936 Southworth et a1. Jan. 12, 1943 Grothey Nov. 19, 1946 Fregeolle June 17, 1947 

